Waiting Game
by FrostShadowStar
Summary: After Doofenshmirtz gave up on evil, things in the second dimension have been...dull. But he could wait. Bide his time. And when the moment was right, he could strike his claim and be the new ruler of the Tri-Doof-Area.


Paperwork.

Stupid mindless _paperwork_.

It wasn't as if he hadn't gone through paperwork while he worked under Doofenshmirtz, but this was just _dull_. None of it barely related to the newly reinstated OWCA in any way, shape, or form.

Pretending to stretch, Karl lazily glanced at the 'concealed' cameras above him. _'Dumb as ever Monobrow'_ he thought to himself as he continued his act. Rolling his shoulders a couple of time, Karl causally scratched at his wrist and hit a button on his watch to scramble the nearby cameras.

Smirking, he pulled out a piece of worn paper from a pocket and unfolded it. Smirk slowly becoming a smile as he set to work on editing and adding notes to his blueprints.

Unpaid_ slave _to the monobrowed dummkopf was a huge step down from his former glory as Head of Torture and Intelligence. But, it was a necessary step if he wanted to avoid jail...or worse. His crimes were after all just as bad maybe even worse than the former dictator's. If Karl had his way, he would personally see to it that Doofenshmirtz was reinstated.

He could always take over himself. Build an army of unbeatable robots, persuade a certain traitorous cyborg to join him...yes, he was entirely capable. He just didn't want to rule. Not yet anyway and especially so soon after Doofenshmirtz just gave up _everything _for that _blasted _train. Taking over now would be a mere hollow victory and far too easy for his liking. After all, where was the fun in anything without a legitimate challenge?

At the distant sound of approaching steps, Karl sighed and placed his personal notes back into a pocket and proceeded to pretend to be going through the paperwork. In another moment or so, he'd be able to tell if Monobrow was merely passing by or if he was coming to complain to him about fixing faulty cameras. Honestly, this whole 'good' thing was barely worth his freedom.

"How the mighty have fallen."

...that wasn't Monobrow, slowly he looked up and nearly dropped his pencil at the person standing in the doorway. Miss Candace Flynn, former leader of the long lasting resistance against Doofenshmirtz and unknowing thief of his stupid traitorous heart. Yet...something seemed _off_ about her.

Candace smirked. "Never thought I'd see Doofenshmirtz's little attack dog pushing pencils for Monogram or even go back to the OWCA so fast. Did you burn your little coat?"

Karl rolled his eyes at her and leaned back in his chair. She almost had him. Almost. But that was _his_ technology she was using.

"Pleasure to see you as well Mrs. Doofenshmirtz. I see you've had some work done. You took what, thirty-forty years off? Must have cost you a fortune. Seems you wasted it though, I highly doubt he'd go for you looking like that. Not that he ever did."

'Candace' bristled at the jab and shot him a dark look as she closed the door behind her. "How'd you know?"

"Few things actually. Firstly, that's _my_ invention you're using; too lazy to make your own now? And secondly the hologram covers one's _appearance_, not their _voice_." He smirked. "Really, even you should have figured that on your own unless you're starting to become deaf in your old age."

Her fists clenched and about a minute later, Charlene Doofenshmirtz stood before him, his holographic invention deactivated. She looked rather intimidating but for one specific detail that caught his attention and caused him to burst out laughing.

"An _eyepatch_? Did you really lose it or are you following his footsteps even more? What's next? A scar over it? A black labcoat?"

He'd gone too far that time. The next thing he knew he was lifted off the ground and shoved against a wall. Ah the inconveniences of being annoyingly short. _Everyone_ was a good head taller than him and able to lift him with ease.

Charlene glared daggers at him from her one good eye. "It was his cursed cyborg, the loyalty programming was still ingrained in it and it gorged out my eye." She slammed him against the wall again, grinning at his small grimace of pain as the back of his head hit wall. "You wouldn't have anything to do with that would you Karl?"

"Oh but of course, I couldn't let all his hard work go to waste could I? Monobrow was under the impression I was removing that programming-seeing as I would best understand Doofenshmirtz's designs, working for him as long as I did." He smirked, enjoying her growing look of rage. It had really been too long since he'd been able to taunt anybody..."It was a simple matter really, to put everything on a backburner, so to speak, setting it to return full force if the cyborg should see anything familiar. Lucky you to have the honor of kickstarting it."

A snarl escaped her as she threw him onto the floor. He gritted his teeth at the impact. He was definitely going to feel that tomorrow.

"You little rat, I should rip out one of _your_ eyes since you think it's so funny." She kicked him and sneered at his lack of retaliation. "What happened to you? All bark and no bite? Typical."

Eyes narrowing, Karl waited till she wasn't paying attention and kicked her legs out from underneath her. In an instant he had a pencil pressed against her neck. It wasn't ideal as far as threats went, but all his weapons had been confiscated or hidden. Besides, even a pencil if sharp enough, could kill.

"As lovely as your visit has been, what do you want?"

Charlene scowled and grabbed the hand that was holding the pencil and twisted it. "Where is he?"

Karl glared. That _verdammt_ hurt. Not that she would care. Or he for that matter. But still, sometimes it was best to play along with their little games. Feed their fat overgrown egos.

"I-In a containment cell, n-not too far from here, I could you lead you there-" he pretended to give a small yelp as she twisted his wrist even more before throwing him back a little. He even rubbed it a little. Really, this was nothing, but there was no harm in pretending he actually _cared_.

She gave him a cold smile. "That's so kind of you to offer, but try anything and I will kill you."

Karl rolled his eyes and messed with his watch a little. Escorting her partway to Doofenshmirtz would take awhile. Time that he couldn't risk Monobrow to come looking for him. The dummkopf could watch a loop and hopefully choke on a taco.

"Well?" Charlene scowled down at him, hologram back up.

"I'm coming." Honestly, it felt like he was the only one with any patience in the entire empire sometimes...or rather _former_ empire but that would all be remedied fast enough.

They had been walking for awhile, hallways empty as usual. It would take time for Monobrow to get his little petting zoo back up and running to be an actual threat. Time that he would never have, before Karl broke the silence.

"I know how much you love one upping him and he you, so here, a gift." He pulled a small key from his pocket and tossed it towards her. The one eye didn't seem to impair her motor skills...perhaps she was used to it by now? "He is under the impression _you_ took over after his fall."

"And why would he think that? Does he think that highly of me?" Her tone was full of sarcasm.

"Doubtful. I persuaded his guards to make him think that. What better 'punishment' than to convince him that his rival of fifteen-sixteen years had taken over after his disgraceful fall of power?"

Charlene raised an eyebrow, not fully believing him. "Really. And you just so happened to have this key today? Are you leading me into some kind of trap? Collect on whatever reward is on my head?"

"As tempting as that is, no. That would be rather foolish of me. You clearly have weapons on you, concealed of course, while I have none. I had a feeling you might pop up sooner or later to rub his failures in his face. Again. But trick _you_? I'd sooner visit the goozim pit."

She frowned. "And I bet his cell is just dead ahead is it?"

"Two turns left, second door on the right, code numbers are 847792 and then yes. His cell would be straight ahead."

Eye narrowed, she shoved him against the nearby wall and hissed. "If this is a trap in any way, I will come back, reveal you for what you are, and then slowly murder you. Understand?"

Karl smirked. "Crystal, I'd be surprised if you didn't retaliate over being tricked. But I assure you Mrs. Doofenshmirtz, you have my word that I have given you nothing but the truth this evening."

"This is where we part ways Karl, try to follow me and you'll wish you hadn't"

"But of course." Still smirking, Karl shoved her off of him and began walking back to his 'office'. He didn't need to look back to see the faint hesitation in her step before going off in the direction he told her to. He could hear it.

Soon Doofenshmirtz would be free, either because she let him out or his rivalry with her would motivate him to finally do _something_. And then the two would probably fight over who would be in control this time. Depending on how long it took, Karl could wait, and watch, and eventually strike his claim. Heck, they could even kill the other, that would be amusing. Almost as amusing as their love-hate relationship.

But for the time being, he had blueprints for a certain cyborg to work on. Changing loyalty programming was a careful and tedious process after all.

(A/N: This interpretation of alt Charlene is not mine. This drabble was inspired by a friend on tumblr's fanfic. If you'd like you can read it here; just remember to take out the spaces ^-^: post/41189648258/ true-evil )


End file.
